Musical instruments



4 Sheets-Sheet l B. K. SETTERGREN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed April l5, 1929 Oct. 18, 1932.

Oct. 18, 1932. B. K. SETTERGREN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15 Y @s l INVENTOR ATTORN EY ct. 18, 1932. B. K. SETTERGREN 1,883,001

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed April 15, 1929 4 sheets-sheet 3' /v/l/ lNvENToR BY Q/ W ATTORNEY Oct. 18, 1932. B. K. SETTERGREN 1,833,001

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed April 15, 1929 4 sheets-sheet 4 ATTORNEY @M WW lNvENToR m f h u W l M w u, l WN W v.\ 6 2 n A 5 f u, 7 n i .7 Y )5 w u, W w

Patented oct. 1s, 1932 BROR K. SETTERGREN, OF BLUFFTON, INDIANA Application filed April 15,

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS This invention relates to improvements in musicalinstruments and pertains particular'- ly to mechanism by means of which a group of'musical instruments such as a piano, an

organ and chimes may be selectively played by operating a single set of keys.

The object of the invention is to provide a musical instrument in which is incorporated a piano, an organ and a group of chimes and a mechanism related to the keys of a piano in such manner that either piano, organ or the chimes may be operated separately without effect upon the other instrumen ts, by manipulating the piano keys. Another object is to so 'construct the appliance as t o permit the operator to play selectively either the piano, organ-,or chimes asY may be desired and to shift from one instrument to another withoutfinterruption.

These objects are accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which j Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an instrument embodying the invention, a portion being broken away; Y

Fig. 2is a side elevation of the piano key action and the organ in connection with the piano body, and the mechanism related with the organ and the piano key action for rendering the j latter inoperative Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, showing the organ 1n connection with the piano bed in its inactive positio ment n of adjust- Fig. Llis a similar view showing the organ lowered in its adjusted position removal of the piano keys;

Fig. 5 is a detail View of one to admit of of the piano keys and its support and the valve mechanism for controlling the corresponding chime operating members; and

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a manifold and valve therein for controlling the pneumatic. means Vfor operating the organ and chimes.

The inventioncomprises a piano 1 of usual construction provided with an action con- -sisting of a key 2, a hammer 3 and a damper .4: for each string .5 which are disposed and operate in the usual manner.

Beneath the 1929. Serial N'o. 355,136.

bed 6 of the piano is arranged an organ 7 which has at its rear end a hinged connection 8 with said bed, its front end being adjust ably supported upon a cam 9 so as to be raised and lowered. The organ is of usual construction provided with a sound box 10 and vacuum chamber 11 in which is disposed an action consisting of a reed member 12 and valve 13 for each note such as are in common use. The stem 14: of each valve projects 60 upwardly through a corresponding opening 15 made in the bed 6 of the piano and through a guide 16 located at the top of the opening. rlhe upper end of said stem projects loosely through the base 1'? for the corresponding 65 piano key 2. l/Jhen the organ is raised to its uppermost position by adjusting the cani 9, the top oi said stem becomes elevated su'liiciently as to become actuated by the Vkey when the key is depressed so that the corresponding '2c reed member is thereby released for action.

A bracket 18 is secured to the underside of the bed 6 and has pivoted thereon a lever 19, the forward end of which has engagement with a plate 20 that is fixed to the front 'In end of the organ box, and a second lever 21 is pivotally supported upon another bracket 22 that extends downwardly from the bed 6. The rear end o1"- the lever 19 and the forward 'end of the lever 21 are connected by means of a 8U link 23, and a prop 23 is pivoted to the rear end of the lever 21 and extends loosely through the bed 6. Upon the tops of the prop 24 and a corresponding parallel prop 24 is supported a transverse rail 25 that extends beneath the Si hammers 3 so that when said props are raised by the lever mechanism connected with said props, said hammers are raised out of action when the organ is elevated to operating position.

A second lever mechanism, consisting of levers 26 and 27 pivoted respectively on corresponding brackets 28 and 29 which levers are connected by a link 30, has operating relation with a prop 31 that is pivoted at the 95 rear end of the lever 27. The forward end of the lever 26 extends over the plate 20 so that said lever is actuated when the organ box is raised to operating position and the Qle post 31 is accordingly elevated. A rail 32 loi rests upon the tops of the prop 31 and a corresponding prop 31', which rail has actuating relation with the damper levers 33 of the piano action so that when the rail is elevated by the lever mechanism provided therefor, the dampers 4 are correspondingly raised out of action. In this manner when the organ is adjusted to its operating position the keys '2 of the piano action are freed from encumbrance of the hammers and dampers of the piano action, which keys then have unrestrained operating relation with the valves of the organ action.

A chimes member 34 is mounted in connection with the piano 1 and is provided with a pneumatically operated hammer action 35. Each pneumatic member 36 of said action has communication with the chamber 37 of a manifold 38 by means of a tubular connection 39. Also, each pneumatic member 36 has a tubular connection 40 with an inlet nozzle 41'that is positioned in the rear end of the base of a` corresponding key 2 of the piano action, which nozzle is normally closed by a flexible valve 42 secured to the under side of said key adjacent the rear end thereof. The valve is raised from connection with the nozzle when the opposite end of the key is depressed so that air is admitted to the corresponding pneumatic member 36.

The chime member 34 and the pneumatn ically operated hammer action 35 may be of any suitable construction such as those in common use.

The vacuum chamber 11 of the organ has communication with a chamber 43 in the manifold 38 by means of a tubular connection 44, and each of the chambers 37 and 43 in said manifold have a corresponding port 37 and 43 respectively, which ports are controlled by a slide valve 45 located in the valve chest 46.

A guide tube 47 has connection with the chest at its rear end and is supported at its forward end in the piano structure at a point adjacent the keys. A rod 48 extends through the tube 47 and has fixed connectionA with the valve 45 at one end and is provided with a knob 49 at its forward end whereby the valve may be moved so as to close one or the other of the ports 37 and 43 by manipulating said knob. An exhaust pump 50 is supported in connection with the piano structure and has connection with the valve chest of the manifold by a tubular connection 51, whereby vacuum is maintained in the valve chest. The exhaust pump 50 may be of any suitable construction such as is ordinarily employed for operating pneumatic actions for musical instruments of the present type and is not here `shown in detail as the particular construe-r tion is notessential to the invention.

In the operation of the invention, the vacuum pump is. connected with a suitable motor (not shown), and operated thereby so that a state of vacuum is maintained in the valve chest 46.. 'Ihe valve 45 is moved so as to close the port 37 so that the pneumatic members 36 of the action 35 are unatfected by the vacuum. When thervalve 45 is thus positioned the port 43 is open and vacuum is therefore maintained in the vacuum chamber ofthe organ. By adjusting the organ to its lower position so that the valve stems 14 are moved out of the range of movement of the keys 2, as shown in Fig. 3, and the rails 25 and 32 are lowered through the action of the lever mechanisms connected therewith so that the hammers 3 and dampers 4 of the piano action resume their normal positions. The piano may then be played by manipulating the keys, as in the usual practice, without affecting either the organ or the chimes. By raising the organ to its active position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the valve stems 14 are correspondingly elevated to within the range of movement of the keys 2, and the rails 25 and 32 are correspondingly raised through the action of the lever mechanisms provided therefor, and thereby the hammers 3 and the dampers 4 of the piano action are elevated and sustained accordingly out of operatinfr relation with the keys. The organ is then pIayed by manipulating the keys. By 'moving the valve 45 so as to close the port 43, the port 37 will then be open and vacuum will become established in the pneumatic members 36, and the source of vacuum is closed oft' from the organ,

ywhereupon the organ becomes inoperative.

As the keys 2 are manipulated, the vacuum in the corresponding pneumatic members 36 is relieved by the admission of air through their individu al connections 40, the air being permitted to enter the respective nozzles as the valves on the corresponding keys are lifted from contact therewith so that normal operation of the pneumatic action for the chimes takes place.

By the construction and arrangement of parts herein disclosed, the operator is enabled to play any one of the instruments, the piano, the organ or the chimes, by manipulating a single set of keys without encumbrance or interference of either of the other instruments.

Vhat I claim is 1. In a musical appliance, a set of keys, a piano member operated thereby, an organ adjustably mounted relative to said keys and being operable thereby, mechanism associated with said piano and organ members and said set of keys for adjusting the piano and organ members to selectively establish operative relation between said keys and either one of said members and rendering the other of said members inoperative, and pneumatic means for actuating said organ member provided with a controlling member therefor.

2. In a musical appliance, a set of keys, a piano member operated thereby, chimes including an action therefor, an organ member Civ adj ustably mounted relative to said ke s and being operable thereby, means control ed by said set of keys operatively associated with the action for said chimes, a valve controlling said means, and mechanism associated with said piano and organ members and said set of keys for adjusting said piano and organ members to selectively establish operative relation between said keys and either one of said members and rendering the other of said members inoperative.

3. In a musical appliance, a set of keys, a piano hammer action operated thereby, an organ adjustably disposed relative to said keys, a mechanism operated by adjustment of said organ for preventing operation of said action, and means operatively associatin said set of keys with said organ When sai action is inoperative.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

BROR K. SETTERGREN. 

